News & Updates
The latest news and updates from companies in the WLTH portfolio.
OTP overload sparks chaos; Delhi principals slam new Education Department portal as 'burden'
NEW DELHI: A newly revamped website introduced by the Education Department to streamline school administration has instead sparked widespread frustration among school principals, who say the platform's excessive reliance on OTPs is disrupting their daily functioning. According to several principals, the portal now requires OTP verification for almost every task, from marking attendance and uploading documents to sending official emails and registering information. What was intended to enhance security and efficiency has, they argue, turned into a logistical challenge. "We are getting around 40 to 50 OTPs every single day. It becomes extremely difficult to keep track of them while managing routine school responsibilities," said a principal of a government school, requesting anonymity. He added, "Principals are frustrated. It has been a month since we started using the website, but it has been a real struggle. To log into the website, it asks for an OTP; to upload any document or mark attendance, it asks for an OTP. It is sheer chaos. Principals have endless duties. This is like an additional burden for no reason."
US Stock Market | SpaceX lines up 21 banks for mega IPO, code-named project Apex
SpaceX is preparing for a massive initial public offering. The rocket company is collaborating with over twenty banks for its upcoming stock market debut. This listing, internally known as Project Apex, is anticipated in June. Experts estimate SpaceX's valuation to reach a staggering $1.75 trillion. Major financial institutions are leading the underwriting process for this significant event. SpaceX is working with at least 21 banks on its blockbuster initial public offering, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, one of the largest underwriting syndicates assembled in recent years. The listing, internally codenamed Project Apex, is expected to be among the most closely watched stock market debuts on Wall Street. The public offering, expected in June, is estimated to value the rocket company controlled by founder and CEO Elon Musk at $1.75 trillion. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase , Bank of America and Citigroup are serving as active bookrunners, or the lead banks managing the deal, the people said, asking not to be identified because the process is not public. A further 16 banks have signed on in smaller roles, they added. About half of the banks' names have not previously been reported. The size of the syndicate underscores the scale and complexity of the planned offering. * Allen & Co * Barclays * Brazil's BTG Pactual * Deutsche Bank * The Netherlands' ING Groep * Macquarie * Mizuho * Needham & Co * Raymond James * Royal Bank of Canada * Societe Generale * Banco Santander * Stifel * UBS * Wells Fargo * William Blair The banks are expected to take on roles in institutional, high-net-worth and retail investor channels as well as in different geographic regions, previously reported. The plan is subject to change and additional banks could still be added, the sources said. Texas-based SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bank of America, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Mizuho, Santander and Wells Fargo declined to comment. The other banks did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Large IPO syndicates have become more common for mega deals in recent years. Chip designer ARM Holdings worked with close to 30 banks on its 2023 listing, while Alibaba Group assembled a similarly large group of underwriters for its record-breaking 2014 debut.
Anthropic signs deal with federal government
Anthropic has sign a memorandum of understanding to share its economic index data with the Australian government to help track artificial intelligence adoption across the economy, and its impact on workers and jobs. Under the agreement, the Claude maker will share findings on emerging AI model capabilities and risks, participate in joint safety evaluations, and collaborate on research with Australian universities. Anthropic said it would also target investments in data centre infrastructure and energy across Australia. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development," Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in Canberra, where he met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, "This memorandum of understanding gives our collaboration a formal foundation." The deal mirrors similar agreements with safety institutes in the United States, Britain and Japan. Australia currently has no specific AI legislation. The centre-left Labor government has said it would rely on existing laws to manage emerging AI risks while introducing voluntary guidelines amid privacy and safety concerns. In its National AI Plan released in December, Labor outlined a roadmap to ramp up AI adoption across the economy, attract data centre investment, and build AI skills to support jobs as the technology becomes more integrated into daily life.
Mr Amodei goes to Canberra: What went down at the Anthropic CEO's big event
The chief executive of AI company Anthropic Dario Amodei flew to Australia's capital on Wednesday to meet the prime minister, the treasurer and a roomful of politicians -- and to tell them that the technology his company builds could upend labour markets, supercharge cyberattacks, and arrive faster than any government is equipped to handle. But he had an important caveat -- the window to act has not yet closed.
Mercor says it was hit by cyberattack tied to compromise of open-source LiteLLM project - IT Security News
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Anthropic to sign deal with Australia on AI safety and economic data tracking - The Economic Times
Australia currently has no specific AI legislation. The centre-left Labour government has said it would rely on existing laws to manage emerging AI risks while introducing voluntary guidelines amid privacy and safety concerns. The deal mirrors similar agreements with safety institutes in the United States, Britain and Japan.Anthropic said on Wednesday it would sign an agreement to share its economic index data with the Australian government to help track artificial intelligence adoption across the economy, and its impact on workers and jobs. Under the agreement, the Claude maker will share findings on emerging AI model capabilities and risks, participate in joint safety evaluations, and collaborate on research with Australian universities. Anthropic said it would also target investments in data centre infrastructure and energy across Australia. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development," Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in Canberra, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday. "This memorandum of understanding gives our collaboration a formal foundation." The deal mirrors similar agreements with safety institutes in the United States, Britain and Japan. Australia currently has no specific AI legislation. The centre-left Labour government has said it would rely on existing laws to manage emerging AI risks while introducing voluntary guidelines amid privacy and safety concerns. In its National AI Plan released in December, Labour outlined a roadmap to ramp up AI adoption across the economy, attract data centre investment, and build AI skills to support jobs as the technology becomes more integrated into daily life.
Kraken user hacked funds have been transferred to HitBTC - Lookonchain - Looking for smartmoney onchain
April 1st -- Per Chain.News, funds stolen from Kraken users (7,784 ETH + 26.5 BTC) were transferred to the HitBTC exchange 6 hours ago. Notably, HitBTC permits cryptocurrency trading and withdrawals without KYC (know-your-customer) verification. Yesterday's reports stated a Kraken user was the victim of a social engineering attack, resulting in the theft of $18.19 million in assets.
Polymarket Responds to Community Concerns Over High Fees: Controversial Parameter Removed, Taker Fees to Remain Across All Categories - Lookonchain - Looking for smartmoney onchain
On April 1, the Polymarket team took to Discord to address community concerns about high fees in specific market categories. The team noted its original plan was to adjust the fee curve, but it had mistakenly used USD taker volume previously -- now, it's switched to calculating fees based on share count, an industry standard that resolves fee imbalance issues. In some markets (notably weather and economic markets), this change, combined with an index only applied to those two categories, severely distorted the fee curve. At lower prices (e.g., 0.1¢), fees became abnormally high -- this is why users complained about "super high fees" on social media. Currently, the fee schedule has been revised, the index has been removed, and all markets no longer face this issue. "Fees for these markets remain the lowest and most cost-effective online," the team said. For users worried about fees, the team suggested placing limit orders for free trading; the new update also lets users earn a 20-25% maker rebate.
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
SYDNEY - Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying on April 1 the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Australian Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". New data centres - warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools - are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The US has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defence contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models. AFP
Peak-time chaos: Police investigate railway vandalism
Police are investigating the vandalism between Yarraman and Dandenong railway stations that sparked commuter chaos on the morning of Wednesday 1 April. Transit Divisional Response Unit officers say offenders cut cabling and caused damage about 4.30am. It led to thousands of morning passengers lining up for replacement buses as Pakenham and Cranbourne rail services were suspended. The disruption marred the second day of the State Government's month-long period of free public transport. Long lines of city-bound commuters disembarked at Dandenong station to wait for replacement buses, which also picked up passengers at stations between Yarraman and Oakleigh. Commuters were being advised to drive to Glen Waverley station or a Frankston line station to avoid the queues. Investigations into the vandalism are ongoing, police say. Any information or footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
Peak-time chaos: Police investigate railway vandalism
Police are investigating the vandalism between Yarraman and Dandenong railway stations that sparked commuter chaos on the morning of Wednesday 1 April. Transit Divisional Response Unit officers say offenders cut cabling and caused damage about 4.30am. It led to thousands of morning passengers lining up for replacement buses as Pakenham and Cranbourne rail services were suspended. The disruption marred the second day of the State Government's month-long period of free public transport. Long lines of city-bound commuters disembarked at Dandenong station to wait for replacement buses, which also picked up passengers at stations between Yarraman and Oakleigh. Commuters were being advised to drive to Glen Waverley station or a Frankston line station to avoid the queues. Investigations into the vandalism are ongoing, police say. Any information or footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying Wednesday the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". - Energy-intensive - New data centres -- warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools -- are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The United States has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defense contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models.
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying Wednesday the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". - Energy-intensive - New data centres -- warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools -- are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The United States has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defense contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models.
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying Wednesday the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". - Energy-intensive - New data centres -- warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools -- are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The United States has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defense contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models.
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying Wednesday the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". - Energy-intensive - New data centres -- warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools -- are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The United States has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defense contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models.
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying Wednesday the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". - Energy-intensive - New data centres -- warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools -- are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The United States has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defense contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models.
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying Wednesday the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". - Energy-intensive - New data centres -- warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools -- are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The United States has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defense contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models.
Mercor Says It Was Hit By Cyberattack Tied To Compromise Of Open-source Litellm Project
BERITAJA is a International-focused news website dedicated to reporting current events and trending stories from across the country. We publish news coverage on local and national issues, politics, business, technology, and community developments. Content is curated and edited to ensure clarity and relevance for our readers. Mercor, a celebrated AI recruiting startup, has confirmed a information incident linked to a proviso concatenation onslaught involving the open-source task LiteLLM. The AI startup told TechCrunch connected Tuesday that it was "one of thousands of companies" affected by a caller discuss of LiteLLM's project, which was linked to a hacking group called TeamPCP. Confirmation of the incident comes arsenic extortion hacking group Lapsus$ claimed it had targeted Mercor and gained entree to its data. It's not instantly clear really the Lapsus$ pack obtained the stolen information from Mercor arsenic portion of TeamPCP's cyberattack. Founded successful 2023, Mercor useful pinch companies including OpenAI and Anthropic to train AI models by contracting specialized domain experts specified arsenic scientists, doctors, and lawyers from markets including India. The startup says it facilitates much than $2 cardinal successful regular payouts and was valued astatine $10 billion pursuing a $350 cardinal Series C information led by Felicis Ventures successful October 2025. Mercor spokesperson Heidi Hagberg confirmed to TechCrunch that the institution had "moved promptly" to incorporate and remediate the information incident. "We are conducting a thorough investigation supported by starring third-party forensics experts," said Hagberg. "We will proceed to pass pinch our customers and contractors straight arsenic due and give the resources basal to resolving the matter arsenic soon arsenic possible." Earlier, Lapsus$ claimed work for the evident information breach connected its leak tract and shared a sample of information allegedly taken from Mercor, which TechCrunch reviewed. The sample included worldly referencing Slack information and what appeared to beryllium ticketing data, arsenic good arsenic 2 videos purportedly showing conversations betwixt Mercor's AI systems and contractors connected its platform. Hagberg declined to reply follow-up questions connected whether the incident was connected to claims by Lapsus$, aliases whether immoderate customer aliases contractor information had been accessed, exfiltrated, aliases misused. The discuss of LiteLLM originally surfaced past week aft malicious codification was discovered successful a package associated pinch the Y Combinator-backed startup's open-source project. While the malicious codification was identified and removed wrong hours, the incident drew scrutiny owed to LiteLLM's wide usage about the internet, pinch the room downloaded millions of times per day, per information patient Snyk. The incident besides prompted LiteLLM to make changes to its compliance processes, including shifting from arguable startup Delve to Vanta for compliance certifications. It remains unclear really galore companies were affected by the LiteLLM-related incident aliases whether immoderate information vulnerability occurred, arsenic investigations continue.
AI giant Anthropic says 'exploring' Australia data centre investments
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is eyeing data centre investments in Australia, saying Wednesday the nation was a "natural partner" for work in the booming sector. With immense renewable energy potential and vast stretches of uninhabited land, Australia has touted itself as a prime location for the power-hungry data centres needed to power AI. US-based Anthropic said it was "exploring investments in data centre infrastructure and energy throughout the country" after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government. "The visit to Australia marks the beginning of long-term collaboration and investment into the Asia-Pacific region," the technology company said in a statement. "Australia's investment in AI safety makes it a natural partner for responsible AI development." The agreement, signed by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei in capital Canberra, said the firm would abide by local laws to "maintain strong social licence for investment". Australia's arts sector has accused Anthropic and other AI companies of pushing to loosen copyright laws so chatbots can be trained on local songs and books. Anthropic said it had also agreed to share AI research and safety information with Australian regulators, mirroring similar agreements in Japan and Britain. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said Australia and Anthropic would "harness AI responsibly". - Energy-intensive - New data centres -- warehouse facilities that store files and power AI tools -- are springing up worldwide. But there are increasing fears about the environmental impact of hulking data hubs. Singapore halted data centre developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. Australia last week adopted new rules governing the operation of data centres. Tech companies must show how they will source renewable energy and minimise their emissions. "As demand for AI grows, continued expansion of data centre infrastructure must reflect Australian values and be environmentally and socially sustainable," the guidelines state. Anthropic's Claude is the Pentagon's most widely-deployed frontier AI model and the only such model currently operating on its classified systems. But the company is locked in a dispute with the US government, after saying it would refuse to let its systems be used for mass surveillance. Washington has since described Anthropic's tools as an "unacceptable risk to national security". The United States has not only blocked use of the company's technology by the Pentagon, but also requires all defense contractors to certify that they do not use Anthropic's models.
Mercor says it was hit by cyberattack tied to compromise of open-source LiteLLM project | TechCrunch
Mercor, a popular AI recruiting startup, has confirmed a security incident linked to a supply chain attack involving the open-source project LiteLLM. The AI startup told TechCrunch on Tuesday that it was "one of thousands of companies" affected by a recent compromise of LiteLLM's project, which was linked to a hacking group called TeamPCP. Confirmation of the incident comes as extortion hacking group Lapsus$ claimed it had targeted Mercor and gained access to its data. It's not immediately clear how the Lapsus$ gang obtained the stolen data from Mercor as part of TeamPCP's cyberattack. Founded in 2023, Mercor works with companies including OpenAI and Anthropic to train AI models by contracting specialized domain experts such as scientists, doctors, and lawyers from markets including India. The startup says it facilitates more than $2 million in daily payouts and was valued at $10 billion following a $350 million Series C round led by Felicis Ventures in October 2025. Mercor spokesperson Heidi Hagberg confirmed to TechCrunch that the company had "moved promptly" to contain and remediate the security incident. "We are conducting a thorough investigation supported by leading third-party forensics experts," said Hagberg. "We will continue to communicate with our customers and contractors directly as appropriate and devote the resources necessary to resolving the matter as soon as possible." Earlier, Lapsus$ claimed responsibility for the apparent data breach on its leak site and shared a sample of data allegedly taken from Mercor, which TechCrunch reviewed. The sample included material referencing Slack data and what appeared to be ticketing data, as well as two videos purportedly showing conversations between Mercor's AI systems and contractors on its platform. Hagberg declined to answer follow-up questions on whether the incident was connected to claims by Lapsus$, or whether any customer or contractor data had been accessed, exfiltrated, or misused. The compromise of LiteLLM originally surfaced last week after malicious code was discovered in a package associated with the Y Combinator-backed startup's open-source project. While the malicious code was identified and removed within hours, the incident drew scrutiny due to LiteLLM's widespread use around the internet, with the library downloaded millions of times per day, per security firm Snyk. The incident also prompted LiteLLM to make changes to its compliance processes, including shifting from controversial startup Delve to Vanta for compliance certifications. It remains unclear how many companies were affected by the LiteLLM-related incident or whether any data exposure occurred, as investigations continue.